Submit any health, nutrition, dental, or optometry question to BuckMD.

Menu

Month: October 2014

Student Life’s Center for the Study at Ohio State recently conducted a study of students who either participated in group fitness classes or intramural sports. The GPAs of these students were compared to those of the Ohio State population as a whole.

They found that those who participated in group fitness classes had a cumulative GPA that was higher by 0.18 then students who never participated. Those who participated in intramural sports were higher by 0.17.

So, if you’re looking to boost your GPA check out the RPAC and get some exercise.

In light of the news that a Dallas nurse who has tested positive for Ebola was in Ohio from October 10-13, we want to share some information with the university community about this situation.

We can assure you that you are at no risk of contracting Ebola if you have not had direct contact with a person with active symptoms of the disease. Direct contact would include exposure to an infected person’s body fluids or providing care to an individual with active symptoms. Simply shaking hands with an individual is considered a very low risk contact. Being in the near vicinity of another individual or passing an individual in the street is considered of no risk.

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Student Life’s Student Health Center continue to be at a high level of preparedness for any potential case of Ebola Viral Disease (EVD). We continue to be in close contact with Columbus Public Health, the Ohio Department of Health, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other hospitals across the state to aggressively monitor all developments in this situation. We are focused on reducing the risk of exposure as well as rapidly implementing protocols for providing care in our medical facilities or responding to public health concerns across campus. We are confident that we are prepared to care for a potential Ebola patient and plan to do so in the safest environment possible.

The CDC’s recommendation is to seek medical care immediately:

If you have traveled to the West African countries of Guinea, Liberia or Sierra Leone or if you have been in direct contact with a person with active EVD,

AND, if you develop a fever (temperature of 100.4 degrees F/38.0 degrees C or higher) and any of the other following symptoms: diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, headache, muscle pain, or unexplained bruising or bleeding.

If you meet these criteria for both known exposure AND symptoms, you should limit your contact with other people until you seek medical treatment. Do not travel anywhere besides a healthcare facility.

We will share additional information about the university’s preparedness procedures and additional resources. Until then, more information about Ebola can be found at the CDC website: http://www.cdc.gov/.

As always, the health and safety of all of our students, faculty, staff, patients, visitors and the community is our priority.
Steven G. Gabbe, MD
Senior Vice President for Health Sciences, The Ohio State University
CEO, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

Andrew Thomas, MD
Senior Associate Vice President for Health Sciences, The Ohio State University
Chief Medical Officer, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

Death with Dignity. What exactly is that? Is it fighting for life with all you have? Is it facing the reality of a terminal illness and choosing to control the illness as opposed to the illness controlling you? Is the dignity component directed towards the person facing death or towards their loved ones? Or perhaps it’s something else altogether. I don’t know that death with dignity can truly be defined until we ourselves are faced with such a situation. It is only then, at that moment, that we will know how dignity is defined for us.

Brittany Maynard, is at that moment. She has been diagnosed with a rapidly growing brain tumor and has been told that she will face a debilitating, painful, and certain death. She has been thinking of life and of death and defining for herself dignity.

“I can’t even tell you the amount of relief it provides me to know that I don’t have to die the way that’s been described to me that my brain tumor would take me,” Maynard said. “I will die upstairs in my bedroom that I share with my husband, with my mother and husband by my side… and pass peacefully,”

Brittany has moved to Oregon and under the Death with Dignity Act and has obtained a lethal dose of painkillers which she will use to end her life on November 1, 2014. This is dignity for Brittany Maynard.

If you’ve visited Student Life Student Health Services (SLSHS) lately or even just walked past the building, you might be wondering what’s happening? There are fences around half the building, entrances are closed, areas are covered in plastic, and in general there seems to be a lot going on. Well, you are correct, there is a lot happening and we are very excited about it all!

10/08/2014 Wilce Student Health Center

We are undergoing renovations of both our ground and first floors. This will include a new entrance from the south, off the main sidewalk, new pharmacy, clinic, registration, and appointment space on the ground floor, and renovated areas on the first floor. The renovations should be done just in time for us to celebrate our 100th anniversary on The Ohio State University campus. Here’s a rendering of how it should look when it’s all finished.

I know that all of the construction, fences, blocked hallways, opened hallways, etc can be confusing and very disruptive, but please bear with us. These things are all temporary and the end result will be well worth any inconvenience that is experienced.

With October designated National Audiology Awareness Month and National Protect Your Hearing Month, now is a great time to visit an audiologist for a hearing screening and learn the signs of hearing loss. The OSU Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic is offering free screenings on Thursday (10/16/2014) and Tuesday (10/28/2014).
— > Contact: 292-6251
— > Read more: speechhearingclinic.osu.edu

Condoms are a beautiful thing. They are effective at preventing both pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. They are inexpensive and easily obtained. They are small and compact and easily kept in a wallet or purse.

However, they are only beautiful when they are used correctly.

WebMD reports the most commonly reported condom use errors are:

Not using condoms throughout sexual intercourse

Not leaving space at the tip

Not squeezing air from the tip

Putting the condom on inside out

Not using only water-based lubricants

Incorrect withdrawal

These types of errors reduce the effectiveness of condoms to about 85%. To get the maximum protection from your condom, follow these guidelines:

Use a NEW condom every time you have sex, be it vaginal or oral and make sure the condom is in place before there is any genital contact.

Make sure there is at least a ½ inch space at the tip of the condom for semen collection. Some condoms have a built in reservoir tip for this purpose. If yours does not, then just pinch the end while placing the condom to allow for this extra space.

After ejaculation and before the penis gets soft, grip the rim of the condom and carefully withdraw. Then gently pull the condom off the penis, making sure that semen doesn’t spill out.

Wrap the condom in a tissue and throw it in the trash where others won’t handle it.

If you feel the condom break at any point during sexual activity, stop immediately, withdraw, remove the broken condom, and put on a new condom.

Ensure that adequate lubrication is used during vaginal and anal sex, which might require water-based lubricants. Oil-based lubricants (e.g., petroleum jelly, shortening, mineral oil, massage oils, body lotions, and cooking oil) should not be used because they can weaken latex, causing breakage.

If you’re interesting in learning more about condoms or in obtaining a few of these beautiful things for your own protection, check out the Condom Club at the Student Wellness Center.

Meta

If you have trouble accessing this page and need to request an alternate format, contact u@osu.edu

The content of this site is published by the site owner(s) and is not a statement of advice, opinion, or information pertaining to The Ohio State University. Neither text, nor links to other websites, is reviewed or endorsed by The Ohio State University.